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Spirit Airlines to start Falls Airport Flights

By Matt Glynn

October 29, 2010
 

Spirit Airlines' decision to serve Niagara Falls International Airport provides evidence of the new terminal's drawing power, local officials said Thursday.

Spirit, a low-cost carrier based in South Florida, announced plans to start three weekly nonstop flights in January between Niagara Falls to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In May, the airline will add seasonal service to Myrtle Beach, S.C., with three weekly nonstop flights.

Local officials said the $31.6 million terminal, which opened late last year, helped to attract Spirit's scheduled service. They also said they hoped other carriers will follow.

"Clearly, this return on our investment of local share of casino revenue monies has paid off," said State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane. Discussions about replacing the Niagara Falls airport's antiquated terminal went back more than a decade, Maziarz said.

"Spirit was exactly the kind of airline we had in mind when we built this terminal, and this makes the announcement even more rewarding," said Henry M. Sloma, acting chairman of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, which runs the airport.

Spirit's Fort Lauderdale route offers passengers access to the world's largest cruise port, as well as a gateway to cities in Latin America and the Caribbean that Spirit serves, said Tony Lefebvre, Spirit's senior vice president of airport and in-flight operations. Myrtle Beach is a popular destination for golfing and family vacations.

The airline's customer base tends to be leisure travelers and people who own second homes in places like Florida or South Carolina. Canadians will be part of that mix, he said.

Serving the Niagara Falls airport, instead of Buffalo Niagara International Airport, fit Spirit's business model, Lefebrve said.

"This airport offered us a lot what Spirit's about -- low cost -- and certainly this airport appealed to us from that perspective, the package that they put together to bring us," he said. "Also, the added value of bringing Canadians into the mix [as passengers] is certainly something that was exciting for us."

Spirit's service creates another avenue for attracting tourists here, said John Percy, president and chief executive officer of the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp.

"Every mode of transportation that we can add into this overall element is a bonus," Percy said. "Having Spirit and their network of flights allows us an opportunity to go to those destinations and promote [Niagara Falls] for inbound traffic."

"It's great that we have in-and-out [service], and we all want that, because that's what's going to make them successful," he said. "However, that inbound [service] is crucial to our strategic plan and our marketing plan."

Direct Air, a charter carrier, also serves the Niagara Falls airport. Maziarz said more than 60,000 passengers will pass through the terminal this year.

Across its network, Spirit has more than 150 daily flights to 40 destinations. The airline promotes an "ultra low-cost format," in which passengers purchase a ticket then choose additional items to pay for. Those extra fees include a charge for a carry-on bag that does not fit below a seat and must be stowed in an overhead bin.

The introduction of that fee, which can be as high as $45, triggered consumer outrage. Lefebrve sought to put the airline's fees in perspective.

"[Passengers] realize that the value proposition is still better," he said. "At the end of the day, it's how much are you paying to fly? Whether you want services or not, the total price is what matters. If consumers look at the bottom line, they'll see we still provide the best value."

Spirit's roots date to 1980, with a Michigan-based airline called Charter One. It changed its name to Spirit in 1992, expanded through the 1990s and moved its headquarters to Florida in 1999. Last summer, a pilots' strike shut down flights for about a week.

Spirit will serve the Niagara Falls airport with Airbus planes that seat 145 people. The airline initially will employ 15 to 20 people at the airport, Lefebvre said.

Spirit's flights to Fort Lauderdale will leave on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from the start of the service on Jan. 27 until May 3. Starting May 5, its seasonal schedule will change to departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

The flights from Fort Lauderdale to Niagara Falls will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The Niagara Falls-Myrtle Beach flights will be offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, in both directions.

mglynn@buffnews.com